Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that crew employment conditions on the (a) P&O Pioneer and (b) P&O Liberte ferries are compliant with the (i) ILO Maritime Labour Convention and (ii) Seafarers’ Charter.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The P&O PIONEER and P&O LIBERTE operate between the ports of Dover and Calais. These ships are subject to inspections both under the EU Directive, 2017/2110 on “A system of Inspections for the safe operations of ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed craft in regular service” and the Paris MoU port state control regime by the French and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
They are subject to two inspections under the EU directive and one port state control inspection every year. All of these inspections include verification of compliance with elements of the Maritime Labour Convention, for example: seafarer employment agreements; wages; accommodation; food and catering; leave; medical care; welfare; and health protection. Whenever surveyors from the MCA are on board these vessels, these items form part of their inspections.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department has received from DP World on maritime and ports policy since 17 March 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has received contact from DP World on the following maritime and port related issues:
From February 2023, DP World met Department officials on the progress of design and implementation of their Modal Shift incentivisation scheme at DP World’s Port of Southampton facility, which Rail officials acknowledged.
In November 2023, DP World wrote to seek an opportunity to discuss DP World’s continued investment in the UK, and reset the relationship with the Government after a period of non engagement with the Department following the P&O Ferries sackings.
More recently, last week the Department was notified of P&O Ferries’ intent to sign the Seafarers’ Charter.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Extra protections for seafarers as government introduces new maritime laws, published on 30 March 2022, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of those new laws on the crewing model operated in the short sea ferry sector by (a) P&O Ferries and (b) other operators.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 received Royal Assent in March 2023. The Act makes access to UK ports for services calling at a UK port at least 120 times a year conditional on payment of the equivalent of the UK National Minimum Wage.
Mar. 14 2024
Source Page: Transport Scotland data for Corran Narrows ferry or fixed link options: FOI releaseFound: (major ports only)Table 9.6a & 9.6bForeign and domestic freight traffic at the major ports by type of
Mentions:
1: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) It shines a light on the strategic importance of Northern Ireland and its assets, particularly its ports - Speech Link
2: Lord Godson (Con - Life peer) It lacks the radar and the acoustic monitoring systems for satisfactory maritime situational awareness - Speech Link
3: Lord Inglewood (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary) and Northern Ireland, individually and taken together. - Speech Link
4: Lord Udny-Lister (Con - Life peer) This union has endured domestic trials and tribulations and international wars and conflicts. - Speech Link
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Government response to the Fifth Report of the Transport Committee of Session 2022–23 on Maritime 2050: objectives, implementation and effects, published on 24 May 2023, what progress he has made on negotiations with the Spanish Government on practices concerning conditions for seafarers on board third country flagged ships operating regular shipping routes between ports in Spain and the UK.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 7 July 2023, the UK and Spain signed a Memorandum of Understanding on conditions for seafarers aboard third-country flagged vessels in which we agreed to examine how we could cooperate and consider the impact of existing and new measures.
Found: at ports and airports across the UK and overseas.12 Home Office, 2023-24 Annually Managed Expenditure
Found: Securing the UK border and for controlling migration of people and goods at ports and airports across
Oral Evidence Mar. 13 2024
Inquiry: Implications of the war in Ukraine for UK DefenceFound: European Council on Foreign Relations, and RAND Europe Oral Evidence
Mar. 13 2024
Source Page: Evaluating the impact of BII industries, technology and services (ITS) portfolioFound: Evaluating the impact of BII industries, technology and services (ITS) portfolio